Salted White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Well, I don’t really know what to say.

Vertical image of a stack of cookies on a wooden board, with text on the top and bottom of the image.

This is one of those articles where, because the photos are so pretty and the cookies taste so good, I almost feel powerless to say anything else.

I made these oatmeal white chocolate chip cookies last week, and I am still struggling to form coherent sentences about them.

It’s possible that I’m still recovering from the happy sugar coma.

Whatever the case, these are the cookies of the week! Nay, the month!

They’re chewy. They’re crunchy. They’re delicious.

Vertical image of two oatmeal baked goods on a white platter next to a purple towel in front of a glass of milk.

You’ll love the sweet and salty combo of flaky sea salt and white chocolate chips, the hearty bites of old-fashioned rolled oats, the enticing aromas of  butter and vanilla

They’re so… they’re so…

Well, I don’t really know what else to say. I can’t remember the last time I felt so utterly speechless.

It’s the polar opposite of how I am on a horrible first date!

You know, the bad date where you just can’t stop talking while the poor guy across the table is grimacing and white-knuckling his bottle of beer as you word-vomit your past relationships, bizarre pet peeves, some weird childhood memories, and your latest trip to the dentist in disgustingly vivid detail…

Vertical image of two oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other on a wooden board next to white mini candies.

I’m no stranger to the phenomenon of rambling on and on and on. I consider it a skill of mine.

But when I’m faced with something that I just can’t think of a coherent and cohesive response to, I’m at a total loss for words. Crickets.

Let’s just say, with these cookies at least, I have a good excuse.

These are “wipe-your-memory” cookies, “what-was-I-saying” cookies, and “can-I-have-another” cookies.

Vertical image of a pile of cookies with sea salt on top.

Make these, and you’ll be lucky to remember anything beyond your first name. You’ll only be able to silently reach out for another helping, while still chewing on the first one.

I only wish I’d had them before, so they could have saved me from all the ridiculous situations my mouth has gotten me into.

I’ll just pretend that first date never happened.

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Horizontal image of two oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other on a wooden board next to white mini candies.

Salted White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies


  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Description

This sweet and salty version of a classic oatmeal cookie features rolled oats, white chocolate chips, and a perfect pinch of flaky sea salt.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl. Mix at high speed until completely incorporated, about another minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and remix for a few seconds.
  4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate medium bowl.
  5. Add the dry flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the oats and white chocolate, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
  6. Use a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion 12 even mounds on each of the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.
  7. Slightly flatten the top of each mound. Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt on each cookie.
  8. Immediately transfer the baking sheets to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are dry and slightly golden around the edges but still slightly wet and puffy in the center.
  9. Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

Notes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Dessert

Keywords: white chocolate, oatmeal, salt, cookies, oats

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set them aside.

Horizontal image of portioned ingredients in assorted white bowls on a wooden table next to a purple large napkin.

Set out the egg and two sticks of unsalted butter to come to room temperature while you gather and measure the other ingredients.

Measure out the granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, rolled oats, chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt.

Crack the egg into a small bowl. Measure out the vanilla extract into the bowl with the egg.

Step 2 – Beat the Butter and Sugars

Place the butter and both types of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer for mixing the dough.

Horizontal image of a beaten mixture of butter and sugar on a paddle attachment over a metal bowl.

Beat the ingredients together at high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes, but the timing may vary slightly depending on how soft the butter is.

Step 3 – Add the Egg and Vanilla

Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix at high speed for another minute or two, until completely incorporated.

Horizontal image of a slightly yellow thick dough on a paddle attachment over a metal bowl.

It will appear broken at first, but will become a smooth and solid mixture as the ingredients continue to blend together.

Step 4 – Add the Dry Ingredients

Combine and whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a separate medium bowl.

Horizontal image of a chunky dough in a metal bowl with a paddle attachment.

Add this dry mixture to the butter and egg mixture. Mix on low speed until just incorporated.

Add the oats and white chocolate. Mix on low speed until just incorporated.

Stick with the lowest speed setting for this step, for two reasons: You don’t want the dry ingredients to explode out of the bowl, and overmixing at a high speed will cause the final texture of the dough to be tough.

Step 5 – Portion

Use a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion 24 even mounds of dough. Place 12 on each prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.

Horizontal image of portioned mounds of dough on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.

They will spread slightly as they bake, so be sure to evenly space them on the baking sheets.

Step 6 – Flatten and Top with Sea Salt

Using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten the top of each mound. Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt on each one.

Horizontal image of slightly flattened mounds of dough topped with sea salt on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.

You just need a small pinch of sea salt for each mound of dough, as a little goes a long way!

Not a big fan of how much the dough is sticking to your hand? You can choose to wear a glove for this step, or use the back of a measuring cup to flatten the dough.

Step 7 – Bake

Immediately transfer the baking sheets to the preheated oven.

Horizontal image of rows of freshly baked cookies on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.

We’re dealing with a lot of softened butter here, so it’s best to get them in the oven as soon as possible to prevent the cookies from spreading excessively.

As an extra precaution, you can transfer the baking sheets with the portioned dough to the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to chill and re-stiffen the butter.

Once the baking sheets are in the oven, bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are dry and slightly golden along the edges but still slightly wet and puffy in the center.

Step 8 – Cool and Serve

Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

Horizontal image of two oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other on a white stand and a purple napkin next to white mini candies.

You can enjoy them while they’re still soft and warm and the white chocolate chips are still melty, or wait until they cool completely. They will continue to harden as they cool, and will develop crispy edges and a slightly chewy center.

Do I Have to Use the Sea Salt?

Wish you could change just one teeny-tiny little thing about this recipe?

Horizontal image of two oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other on a wooden board next to white mini candies.

If you’re concerned about the salty strength of the final garnish on top, feel free to leave out the sea salt entirely.

This zippy addition may be too extreme for more sensitive taste buds (*cough* picky kids *cough*) who may have trouble appreciating the complex nuances and crunchy texture of flaky sea salt and would rather have a milder sweet treat to munch on.

You can also choose to top the cookies on one baking sheet with the sea salt, and leave the other plain. Just be sure to keep them in clearly labeled separate containers once they are baked and cooled!

And if you want to explore styles of salt for this recipe, consider other options like sel gris or fleur de sel.

What do you think of playing with sweet and salty flavors in your desserts? Would you rather leave out the sea salt on top, or do you love this extra bite of flavor and texture? Leave a comment below!

For more sweets with hearty oats in every chewy bite, bake some of our favorite recipes next:

Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on October 17, 2008. Last updated on April 19, 2022.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Nikki Cervone

Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

10 thoughts on “Salted White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies”

  1. shannalee – you’re KILLING me with these cookies. yet another cookie that i must try. thankfully i’m hosting a baking Gal round so i guess these might make the cut, unless i eat them all. 🙂 congrats on your new camera, aren’t toys hard-won from ebay soooo much funner?! i’m going to try to save up for a DSLR this year, if my baking obsession doesn’t get in the way and i have to buy sacks of flour every few weeks!
    btw, i’ve posted a few of grandma’s stuff on my blog, i really ought to have a lable devoted to just her tho. i’ll remedy it soon.

    Reply
  2. I’ll have to try making these on my day off next week. I just want you to know that I was lying here in bed sick and completely exhausted knowing I have to get up at 4am tomorrow for a fundraising project, and what goes through my head? I haven’t read Shanna’s blog lately. Yeah, I actually enjoy reading it that much. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Lan: You would think we’d run out of good cookies to try eventually, wouldn’t you? But they just keep coming! And good for you about the DSLR. I bought one two years ago and was too technically challenged to learn how to use it. If I’d only had a friend to help!! 🙂

    Joanna: Well, now, you know how to make a person feel good, don’t you? Sorry you’re not feeling so hot, though. When the fundraising thing comes to an end, lay in bed with some chicken noodle soup at your side.

    Reply
  4. Great cookies and great picutures! I just made my versions of these cookies over the weekend and will be posting this week. Good for you on the new camera. The pictures on the post above this at the farmer’s market are gorgeous so I think you are learning quickly!!

    Reply
  5. This is a great twist on the chocolate chip cookie with oatmeal and white chocolate instead. Haven’t had the full effect of sea salt on cookies yet but I imagine it’s amazing! Thanks for this recipe.

    Reply
  6. Hey, congrats on the new camera. For a week or so I thought I was gonna be the owner of a NICE, shiny new camera but alas mine was just briefly lost in Greece and now it’s back!

    I’m not a big cookie eater but THOSE do look like they’d leave me speechless! Thanks for the recipe…I’m gonna give ’em a try!
    ~ingrid

    Reply
  7. RobinSue: Can’t wait to see your cookies, and thanks for the compliment! I’m having fun with it–best part is that I can carry it with me everywhere I go.

    Hillary: It is! Sea salt is my latest discovery, and I love it.

    Ingrid: Glad you still have your camera… although, eBay sales make new ones pretty affordable! 🙂 Not a big cookie eater? We’ll have to change that.

    Reply

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